Dark Thief (The Two Sides of Me Book 2)

by Garcia, Amy Lynn

  My heart is pounding as he laces his fingers with mine and takes his kisses on a journey away from my mouth, down my neck pausing for only a moment to show attention to each breast, tracing my nipples with his tongue and softly biting I arch my back into him. He continues down my belly…I’m so lost in this dreamy world I’ve forgotten my period and I tense when he reaches ground zero. “Relax, I know. This is for you baby…all for you.”

  I don’t even get a chance to open my eyes before his hands release mine and he slides them under my ass pulling my hips to his face he ignites a fire there I can’t imagine living without. He worships my clit with his tongue, circling and sucking, I dig my nails into his thighs while my body absorbs every ounce of pleasure and my orgasm builds. I feel my voice trying to call out but it’s only a whisper when the explosion hits and I come so hard over and over my body pulses for him, arches into him releasing all the tension that has been building for weeks.

  I turn it all over to him in the most intense orgasm I’ve ever experienced. Legs draped over his shoulders he continues to hold me while I recover and open my eyes, sated and melting I allow myself to fully relax and look at this man that clearly adores me. His trademark subtle smirk tugs at one corner of his mouth and I know he’s ok…for now anyway…we’re both ok.

  Chapter 10

  “Crash Into Me”

  Dave Matthews Band

  No words are spoken, although I couldn’t speak if I wanted to. Evan silently and gently, dresses me. He stops after he has my jeans buttoned to search my eyes for something, forgiveness maybe, devotion, love? I gaze back trying like hell to give him what he wants, I do love him, I’m wholeheartedly devoted and forgiveness isn’t necessary, my Evan hasn’t done anything wrong.

  Finally when he slides the clunky boots on my feet making a disgusted face I smile at him, he’s hating these rubber polka dot boots, he’s my sexy shoe man. “These are hideous you know?” he says while crouching between my legs. Sitting on the edge of the bed hands on my knees, I’m ready to go but first I point to the pad of paper on the night table so I can respond to him and he reaches for it, scanning my message from earlier that he ignored.

  “Mia…I’ll go with you if that’s what it takes for you to be examined, but there is no sense in me speaking to anyone about my condition, the tumor is inoperable. You know it is.” Grabbing the notepad and pencil I write. So you’re giving up? You won’t fight for your life? For me? I shove it into his chest. He reads it and runs his fingers through his dark hair with frustration. “I’m not giving up Mia, go with me and I’ll prove it to you. I promise. I’ve never lied to you have I?”

  Well, no, not that I know of anyway. How is he going to prove it to me? Damn he knows I have an incurable curious streak. I nod yes and he repeats the gesture while taking my hand to help me to my feet but I’m not on them for long. He sweeps me behind the knees and cradles me heading for the door. I’d tell him it wasn’t necessary to carry me if I could but the note pad is conveniently in his pocket now. His way of controlling the conversation, yep that’s my man, possessive, controlling and stubborn. But I love him, every insane, irritating, frustrating trait balances out perfectly with the way he cares for me, his never-ending generosity and yea he’s pretty easy on the eyes.

  I make an effort to humft but no sound comes out just the puff of air from my nose and he looks down at me.” What? Something funny?” I roll my eyes, I can’t answer him but yea he’s funny all right, but not “Haha.” funny, more like “Wow I can’t believe this guy funny.” “Hmmm.” he squints his eyes looking more intensely at me. “This no talking thing is going to be challenging.” He says and I roll my eyes again but harder this time and he chuckles as we enter the living room where Gabriella and Dr. Amato are lounging by the fireplace drinking wine together on the couch.

  Yea these two are an item, the chemistry between them is obvious now that I’m not so focused on my problems. Gabriella looks incredibly relieved when she catches sight of us. “Oh thank God, I thought you two would never come out of there.” she says with mock irritation, she’s happy her brother is out of that room full of bad history and I know it. “We need to go.” Right to the point, not much for small talk, no wonder he doesn’t have any friends. “Oh, ok so to the hospital?” She asks and scrambles to her feet with Dr. Amato close behind.

  No answer from Evan he’s a man of few words today but he is heard loud and clear just the same. His actions say it all. Standing me up for a moment he gathers our coats from the closet and helps me on with mine and scoops me back up heading out the front door with his sister and the good doctor scurrying to keep up. Evan’s on a mission and nothing’s stopping him now.

  I feel like a child the way he tends to me, buckling my seat belt and arranging me in the back seat next to him but what the hell can I do? My sassy smart mouth has been effectively silenced and it’s making me a little crazy. The ride to the hospital is much longer than the one between Aunt Sophia’s house and Evan and Gabriella’s home. Evan sits quietly, fingers laced with mine on the seat between us. He has his elbow propped against the window with his head resting on the back of his hand, deep in thought. I leave him be and let my own thoughts roam.

  What’s he going to do to prove to me that nothing can be done for him? I’m in the medical field, I know better than to give up hope. I’ve seen miracles, people who had zero chance pull through and live a long life. It’s not like Evan to give up, he always gets what he wants, all the time, so what’s holding him back from scouring the earth for someone to cure him? Unless…maybe he’s already done that? Well I don’t care if he has, we will look harder. I also imagine he believes he deserves this as his punishment but no way, I’m not accepting that. I believe there is a God and I can’t imagine he would be intentionally cruel, everyone deserves forgiveness.

  Dr. Amato parks in a spot assigned to him that is conveniently close to the doors of the E.R. It’s late and the hospital doesn’t seem to be busy. I suspect even if it were we would be whisked into a room after one terrifying look from Evan, and being accompanied by a physician on staff helps too. It suddenly occurs to me that we are going to have to have some sort of story so Evan doesn’t get fucking arrested for assault or worse attempted murder! For what feels like the hundredth time I make a writing gesture asking for my paper, but this time I’m a little frantic so he gives it to me right away.

  What are we going to say? I don’t want you to get reported to the police! I hand it over, he reads and I wait for some panic, anxiety, something. But no, he relaxes back into the uncomfortable chair beside my equally uncomfortable gurney. I reach out and tap his shoulder rapidly conveying my urgency. “Don’t worry Mia, remember? That’s my job. Let me take care of it, everything is fine, nobody is going to accuse me of anything.” Well what the fuck? How does he know that? And what am I supposed to say happened?

  No time to work on a story the E.R. doctor enters the tiny stall and they begin to speak in Italian, great, I can’t talk and now I can’t understand what the hell they are saying either! This is exactly why I didn’t want to be treated in a foreign hospital. In an environment where things are usually very familiar I feel vulnerable and helpless. It’s a hospital with, clinical surroundings, the smell of bleach, the soft buzz of the lights overhead but I’m just as much an outsider as any patient, being a nurse gives me no advantage when I can’t communicate. “He’s going to get a CT scan…like you said.” Evan informs me after a few minutes of back and forth with the doctor whose name I still don’t know.

  He approaches me without speaking and performs an examination, occasionally asking Evan questions, don’t these people believe in translators? I know in general what he’s looking for and what he’s doing, maybe Evan has told him I’m a nurse, who knows? I wonder what kind of story he’s telling this man. It must be something really good because there are no signs of suspicion from doctor no name. We are left alone, I wonder where Gabriella and Simone have gone. “They went for coffee.” he s
ays out of the blue without looking at me.

  How he knows what I’m thinking all the time I don’t know but it’s getting a little bizarre. “I know what you’re thinking, they aren’t formal about translators here and I know what’s wrong with you so I explained the problem, he orders the tests and if it’s all good we go home.” Well isn’t that neat and tidy? This shit wouldn’t fly in the states, no way.

  I’m tired though and actually feeling a little better, my throat isn’t as swollen and my headache was wiped out the second Evan slid into the bed naked behind me a couple hours ago. Going home sounds like an excellent idea, where ever “home” is. A young woman comes to the room with a wheelchair and we load up and head out for the test. I want to say something to Evan about his end of this deal, my proof, but I don’t know where the hell my paper has gone off to.

  We enter a small room with lockers and the nurse says something to Evan, I assume she is telling him he can wait outside while I change into a gown. He’s not having any of it and after a few rather stern words to the poor woman she leaves us and he helps me change. Really? I am capable of doing this myself but I chalk it up to guilt and let him do his thing. “I like to help you.” he says as if he were commenting on my last thought. I sigh with exasperation, my mind reading babysitter is at it again.

  The next few moments are complete deja vu in reverse. Not that long ago I was changing Evan into a hospital gown for a CT of his brain. “You don’t have a bra or panties, why is that?” I turn to face him after he ties the back of my gown rather tightly closed and he presents me with the paper and pencil that he’s been hoarding. I write. Where is my phone? And I was in a hurry. He reads. “You were in such a hurry you couldn’t put on panties and a bra?” Interesting that he ignored the part about my phone. I write. It’s a long story. Phone? “I have your phone, why do you want it? And what kind of long story could there be about no panties or bra?”

  He's kind of irritating me now, what is he the underwear police? I write. I could text you much easier than this fucking paper and pencil. And YES long story! He's frustrated now too, good! He reaches into the pocket of his coat and hands me his phone. “Use mine, I want to know the long story.” Good grief…I text him a message as if I were sending it to myself. Dr. Amato and Gabriella were taking care of me I knew they wouldn’t allow me to leave the house in my condition, I had to grab whatever clothes were available and run into the bathroom to dress and then I demanded they take me to you? Happy now? I hand him the phone and after reading my message he actually looks relieved, does he really think some sort of infidelity occurred between the time he nearly strangled me to death and when I found him in that closet?

  When he looks up at me I roll my eyes and the nurse returns as if on cue and whisks me away for my scan, Evan right on her heels. He can’t possibly think he needs to be in the room with me for this, can he? Yes he can. I’m surprised when he doesn’t follow us into the cold room occupied by only the big CT scanner. The nurse assists me to the chilly table top, I lay down and place my head in the half circle piece of foam. I think she wants to tell me to hold still but isn’t sure how so I try to convey that I will with my eyes. She must be satisfied because she's leaving me alone. Next I hear a voice through the intercom. “Are you comfortable?” a voice with a thick Italian accent asks and I nod yes. “Please try to be still during the scan.” the voice says and I refrain from nodding to prove I understand.

  The table begins to slide through the doughnut hole slowly, clicking and whirring, and I close my eyes and try to relax and stay still. When it’s over my nurse returns and is helping me off the table. I glance over through the glass window where the operator of the massive machine sits, and next to him relaxed and leaning back in his chair as if he belongs there is Evan, I’m not even surprised. I hope this guilt thing or whatever it is, is over soon. I’m feeling a little smothered and overwhelmed.

  Back in the locker room I hustle to dress myself before he can make it back and thankfully I succeed. I jump at the click of the door when he returns a few minutes later. “I didn’t mean to scare you.” There is so much more meaning behind those words than just a casual apology for startling me. Our eyes lock, he stands in the door and I sit in a completely unnecessary wheelchair, in my opinion.

  He holds me captive in those green eyes for a moment and I mouth to him the words “I know.” I wish I had a way to tell him I know it wasn’t him, that he needs no forgiveness because he hasn’t done anything wrong. But even with my voice I wouldn’t be able to make him see. He’s going to welcome any pain, guilt or misery related to this incident forever. That is, in fact, my biggest fear right now…that he’s going to try to end this because of today. That he’s giving up, lost hope.

  I’ll have to summon the strength to fight for both of us then, giving up isn’t an option in my book…giving up would be a double suicide. We can’t live without each other, there’s no going back, only forward.

  Chapter 11

  “Crazy Love”

  Van Morrison

  Back in our little corner of the E.R., doctor no name tells Evan that my CT scan is within normal limits. Gabriella and Dr. Amato have joined us and I’ve never felt like such an outsider as they all discuss my condition amongst themselves in Italian. Finally, I poke Evan hard in the arm, which hurts me much more than my intended effect on him, and I motion for his phone.

  He hands if over and the others quiet down as I text. I’d like to know in ENGLISH what the fuck is going on please! Evan reads and I see the tinniest smile pass over his face before he translates to them and turns to me. “Dr. Dioli is asking about your medical history, he could tell from the scan you have had a lot of injuries and surgeries, he was concerned.” I feel myself pale and a chill runs through me, sometimes I forget my body is able to tell my secrets when seen on the inside, pins, screws, implants to replace shattered bones the list goes on and on.

  Evan slips his fingers through mine. “I told him you were mugged as a teenager, nothing else, I promise, he accepted the story.” I text. Thank you for not telling anyone. He reads and scowls. “Of course.” he says sounding insulted, or hurt I’m not sure which. A few more minutes of paperwork and we’re out of there and on our way home. Evan tells me we aren’t going back to Aunt Sophia’s, he only wanted to show me where she lived and hadn’t intended on staying there long.

  Now we are going to Evan’s house on Lake Como, this ought to be interesting. I don’t know why I was surprised, it seems no matter how much wealth I’m exposed to around this man it still blows my mind. It’s late and it’s dark but lights line a path up a drive to another piece of real estate that is worthy of a much grander title than “house”.

  It looms on a hill to our left and Lake Como spreads out on the right. When we exit the car I can hear the water lapping against the rocks and a chilly breeze blows across my face taking my breath away. “Let’s get you inside.” Gabriella says and again my knight in shining armor sweeps me off my feet. “Good God Evan she can walk you know.” she says rolling her eyes at him while he completely ignores her.

  I look over his shoulder when she begins following us and shrug and give her my most exasperated look. She smiles at me and Dr. Amato chuckles bringing up the rear. The entrance to the house reminds me of The White House. It’s surrounded by white pillars and a small terrace above that must walk out to a breathtaking view of the lake during the day.

  I’m surprised to be greeted by Carmen and Mr. Saint, does he always travel with an entourage? “I plan on staying here for a while, I thought you would be more comfortable with familiar staff.” he says answering my unspoken question, again. I smile at Carmen and she smiles back relieved to see us. Mr. Saint nods his head in my direction and I give him a small wave, more than he deserves if you ask me. I’m still a little miffed at him for not being on top of things in Seattle and allowing some nut case into the house.

  I try to look around a little but Evan is focused on getting me to bed and offers no tou
r on our way up a winding staircase to the second floor and into, of course a ridiculously lavish bedroom. No canopy bed here, that’s a first, this bed is, as usual, enormous but it has a headboard that is covered with thick plush quilted padding in dark blue. In fact, the whole room has a color scheme of blues and very dark wood. A strange straying from purple but very masculine.

  “Your things are in the bathroom.” he points to a door to the right of the bed. “Clothes in the closet there.” he points to a set of double doors. “And a dresser in the closet is full of panties and bras.” he says this pointedly as if I were a regular ditcher of underthings. Sitting me on the edge of the bed he moves gracefully around the room switching on lamps and into the closet I assume to get me something to wear to bed. I take off my boots, I have a feeling I’ll never see them again, he will probably burn them the first chance he gets.

  The bandages on me feet could use changing or at least removing as they are loose from putting the boots on and off all day. I scoot back onto the bed and begin unraveling them, the cuts sting but already they feel better. Evan returns with a silk nightgown, panties and my phone, oh thank God my phone.

  I’ve felt so detached from the rest of the world, now I can finally text my family, or anybody else I need to communicate with since it’s the only way I can for now. “Stay right there, I’ll get a first aid kit and take care of your feet.” I nod and power up my phone first checking for any texts I’ve missed, none, weird, I would have thought someone would have been wondering about my whereabouts, especially Lilly. Evan is very thorough, he must have contacted everyone I’ve ever known. I sigh and set it on the bed next to me.

  Evan returns with the most elaborate first aid kit I’ve ever seen in my life. I mouth “wow” to him “I have to be ready for anything.” he answers. Like what, heart surgery? I want to ask. “I don’t like hospitals, if I need anything I’d rather the physician come to me, this way he has everything he needs.” Hmmm ok, makes sense, I guess. Then, I remember I’ve not had my half of our deal fulfilled and I pick up my phone.